IDEC-C2B8 anti-CD20 (Rituximab) immunotherapy in patients with low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and lymphoproliferative disorders: evaluation of response on 48 patients

• Published in: European journal of haematology Vol. 62; no. 2; pp. 76 - 82
• Main Authors: Nguyen, D.T., Amess, J. A., Doughty, H., Hendry, L., Diamond, L.W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.1999; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibodies, Monoclonal - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; Antigens, CD20 - immunology; Antineoplastic agents; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; chimeric anti-CD20; Female; Humans; Immunotherapy; Infusions, Intravenous; low-grade NHL; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin - immunology; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin - pathology; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin - therapy; Lymphoproliferative Disorders - immunology; Lymphoproliferative Disorders - pathology; Lymphoproliferative Disorders - therapy; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Recurrence; Remission Induction; Rituximab; Treatment Outcome; Antineoplastic agent; Human; Antibody; Treatment efficiency; Rituximab; Malignant hemopathy; Monoclonal antibody; Non Hodgkin lymphoma; Phenotype; Treatment; Lymphoproliferative syndrome; Low malignancy; Immunotherapy
• ISSN: 0902-4441; 1600-0609
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0609.1999.tb01725.x

:  This study focused on the efficacy of IDEC‐C2B8 (chimeric anti‐CD20) immunotherapy relative to specific subtypes of low‐grade lymphoproliferative disorders/non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas (LPD/NHL). Forty‐eight patients with resistant or relapsed disease completed the IDEC‐C2B8 infusion schedule of 375 mg/m2/wk × 4 wk. The LPD/NHL subtypes included: (a) follicular centre cell lymphoma (FCC) in 22 patients; (b) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in 10; (c) 1 diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL); and (d) the category of small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (SLL/CLL) and related disorders in 15 patients. No patient obtained a complete remission. Ten patients (21%) achieved partial remission: 6 FCC, 2 MCL, 1 DLCL and 1 patient from the SLL/CLL group. Twenty‐eight patients had stable disease and 10 progressed during immunotherapy. In patients with CLL and MCL in leukaemic phase, there was no correlation between the marked decrease in circulating neoplastic cells following antibody infusions and amelioration of the tumour burden. The results suggest that the subtype of LPD/NHL and the intensity of CD20 on the tumour cells influence the effectiveness of IDEC‐C2B8. The antibody was most efficacious against FCC lymphoma. The efficacy (at the dose schedule of 375 mg/m2/wk × 4) against MCL and SLL/CLL appeared to be limited, however.